I was given map by Zhylla and travelled through the corpse ridden streets of Cranezmore to the remains of The Black Fortress

The Throne Room

Massive in size, this room is sixty feet in both width and height. The wallsof the room rise thirty five feet into the air before curving inward to form alarge dome. Dozens of banners and tapestries hang from the ceiling and depictsymbols, creatures, and gods. Dozens of hovering orbs that give off ablackish-purple glow from between the decorations. Set against the easternwall is a raised platform of razor-edged braun. An archway in the westernwall leads out of the room.

[Exits: west] A large tapestry hangs down the wall off to the side of the thrones. A pair of obsidian thrones stands on a braun platform.

Zhylla is resting on a throne of polished obsidian glass, her figure starkly undersized for the massive seat.

You say in saurian, waving the map in the air, 'I've made it!'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'Good, very good, Lordling Karthrite.'

Zhylla chuckles dryly.

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'A long time ago, centuries before either of us were born, a visardi sat here and ruled this city, of course when it -was- a city.'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'Yes, I've heard of what happened to this place.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'Seria is now the only real civilization left. All the other cities pale to compare, but Cranezmore- Cranezmore was a glorious city.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'There are many things written about it, even in the Serian libraries. Thankfully the dagahasi won against the Triage and some of their lore actually survived intact.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'The dagahasi now have begun to lose their potency, have you noticed?'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'Yes, I have. There are little to none left.. other than those who hide in the colonies and now work for Seria.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, nodding, 'Yes, and have you noticed the change in shape of their head? They grow muscles instead of brains now. They have become enslaved sadly.'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'Well, they've not always been the brightest beings around. They couldn't figure out how to make a gate to hold back that which lurks in the forests behind the walls.'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'Let alone fend them off.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, tapping a claw on the obsidian arm of the throne repeatedly, 'But the visardi prevail! This is why you must draw your strength from books, not Gods. The dagahasi prove this, when your Gods abandon you, you lose everything.'

Zhylla shakes her head.

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'You are misinformed. What happened to all that gold I spent on your learning?'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'Perhaps it wasn't my learning, but it was the teachers.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'The Dark Lords abandoned the dagahasi. The dagahasi grew weak because they imagined the Dark Lords were not fickel.'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'Yes, and they were not wise because they depended on the Dark Lords.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'They placed all their faith in Them, and were defenseless without Their protection from the Ishon.'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'They didn't have a back up plan incase they were abandoned. That is something everyone must do.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'If we are to take back Cranezmore, we have to find an arcane solution to the gate!'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'Perhaps just not Arcane, but I draw from the powers of nature..'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'Binding spells, a full legion of guards if we must-.

Zhylla chuckles dryly.

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'Perhaps if we combined our abilities, we can make something stronger than a gate.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'You are smart. That is good. Yes, combined magics to hold the gate.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'We will need those that study different arts then just ours.'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'You can use your magics to block off the gate, as I can conjure up some roots and perhaps place a constant gust of wind infront, that way if they were to try and break the barrier, it would be tougher than they expected.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'It is a bigger job then for two people. That was why the Ishon burst through into the city. It was said only two groths guarded the north gate.'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'With no doubt, we will need others. Protecting the gates from both sides.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'The armies were already off fighting and pillaging Seria.'

You say in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'Along with our conjured magics to help hold the gates incase they fall.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'I think a standing force, as well as a magically protected gate would serve wonders.'

You nod.

You say in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'But, we must gather quite a few.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'I want to rule from this throne someday, I want you or one of your brothers to follow after.'

You say in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'The guards will need rest, so they will have to leave post to rest.'

You say in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'We must have back up plans, nothing is certain.'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'But, putting our minds together along with others, I have no doubt we will come up with a proper solution.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'I will forge a path next to the crypts and the Tower of Shadows, if my tomes are correct, perhaps there is something left behind there that could help us.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, nodding, 'Yes which is why I so blessed to have competent children. I am sure you could figure out a solution to the gate.'

You nod your head twice in rapid succession.

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'If I run into Gareth, would you like me to show him this place and inform him of what we discussed?'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'I will work a political angle in Seria. Perhaps we can get some support, I know that there are at least some that are tired of the sloppy rule of the city.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'I suspect you could not get here, nor would I advise it, without me.'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'Then, I will have him meet me at the fountain you discussed in your last letter.'

Zhylla nods at you.

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'We can discuss what we have and how we can progress from here.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'I have managed to get a foothold through the shifting of words and coin on that apartment complex off Nomicon Alley.'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'It will also be crucial to go into the Ishon, perhaps show them that we are not affraid?'

You nod your head twice in rapid succession.

Zhylla laughs, raising a knobby hand to stifle herself.

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'Anything that lives inside the Ishon will never be afraid of us.'

You say in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'It is not to make them affraid..'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'Well, I do not disagree we should go inside.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'I have heard of an artifact, perhaps even the cause for the ever growing power up there..'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'Hrm. I take it you want to remove that artifact from the ishon's grasp?'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'There was a journal I think in the Serian library, a treasure no doubt brought south with the invaders, anyway.. I have read several things about something extremely powerful inside the Ishon.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, shrugging, 'I'm not sure. In the pursuit of knowledge however, one must poke big beasts and turn a few mysterious levers.'

You nod.

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'Several ways to acquire knowledge, some dangerous.. others are not.'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'I find the dangerous ways are normally the fun ways.'

You grin.

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'Either way I think perhaps by removing it, as with the dagahasi and their Dark Lords, the Ishon may lose some of

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'Maybe enough to reclaim the city, with perhaps the help of some Serian mercenaries and those that consider themselves remnants of the old Enclave.'

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'If I can present my case with enough grace to the king, maybe even legitimate men at arms.'

You say to Zhylla in saurian, in a calm and collective tone, 'That would be wise, you can never be too careful!'

Zhylla runs her claws down her neck frill and cocks her head to the side.

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'Well, we don't hold the city yet. I need to rest, and then we should be off before more wolves arrive!'

You nod your head twice in rapid succession.

Zhylla collects herself and squirms awkwardly down off the massive throne.

Zhylla stands up.

Zhylla says to you in saurian, accenting her pauses with hisses and clicks, 'I will rest in what remains of the Emperor's chambers. Watch the door for me, aye?'

Without staff I got to a stagnant point with this character and decided to give her a storyline ending to continue the Lifelight Orb plot instead of leaving her idle. I am no longer working on this clan.